Jv boys split
By JARED PUTNAM

Tanner goes up for two versus Pickens.

Union 50 - Murphy 24

The junior varsity Panthers opened 2007 with a win over the jv Bulldogs of Murphy, defeating them for the second time this season. The Panthers got off to a quick start and never looked back. After winning the first quarter 13-5, the Panthers built a 24-8 advantage by halftime.

"We had team balanced scoring," said Coach Carson Turlington. "It was a farily wideopen game." The coach also said that the contest provided an opportunity for more playing time for some of the reserves.

Josh Colwell led Union with 12 points while Brad Beise added 9, Clay McConnell scored 7, and Kolt Owenby contributed 6.

Union 42 - Pickens 46

The jv Panthers battled Pickens for the sec- ond time this year, a team that rallied to give them their only loss of the season the first time they met. The game started slow as Pickens held a 1-0 advantage through the first four minutes of the game. Union jumped ahead 7-3 by the end of the opening quarter and scored the first five points of the second quarter, building the lead to 12-3. They later led 21-10 but Pickens closed to 21- 16 by the half.

Brad Beise drives around the defender.

Pickens closed the gap to 29-27 in the third quarter but Josh Colwell hit a pair of technical free throws and a three pointer to push the lead back to 34-27. Union led 34-28 at the end of the quarter.

The two teams battled back and forth in the final period, and Pickens took the lead 42-40 on a three pointer with 1:54 to play. AKolt Owenby basket tied the game momentarily, but Pickens scored two more baskets to take the win. The Dragons are the only team the Panthers have lost to this season, as Union's record now stands at 6-2.

"We didn't stay composed," said Coach Turlington. "We just didn't finish in the end and we didn't have much balance in our scoring either, and that hurt us." Josh Colwell led all scorers with 23 points while Kolt Owenby added 10.

Josh Walker shoots over his defender.